Harare, Zimbabwe – In a decisive and historic vote on Thursday, the National Assembly passed the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill (CAB3) with 216 votes in favour and 42 against, comfortably surpassing the required two-thirds majority of 187 votes.

The bill, which introduces sweeping changes to the country’s governance system, now proceeds to the Senate for further consideration.

The atmosphere in the House was charged as Speaker Jacob Mudenda ordered a formal division. After seven minutes of bells to summon members, the tellers—Caston Matewu and Gladys Hlatywayo for the Noes, and Chinjai Kambuzuma and Tendai Pinduka for the Ayes—conducted a headcount. The result showed a significant victory for the government, as the affirmative votes dwarfed the opposition. The bill’s passage was particularly notable as it relied on the support of 35 opposition MPs who crossed party lines, providing the crucial numbers to achieve the supermajority .

Following the announcement, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, hailed the outcome as a “historic and progressive moment,” praising the spirit of debate and the “maturing democracy”. The House adjourned shortly after, marking the end of a tense legislative session.

The Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill was gazetted on 16 February 2026 and has been a subject of intense debate for months.

The government, led by Minister Ziyambi, framed the bill as a necessary refinement of the 2013 Constitution, aiming to improve governance and provide “policy continuity”.

The legislative journey was marked by heated debates over several core provisions.

On the Presidential election method, the bill abolishes the direct popular election of the President. Instead, the Head of State will be elected by a joint sitting of Parliament.

Proponents argue this will reduce political polarisation and foster consensus-building, citing models in South Africa and Botswana. Opposition critics, however, view this as a move to concentrate power and weaken electoral accountability .

Regarding the term extension, the bill extends the presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years. Crucially, this extension applies to the current term, meaning President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term would run until 2030 instead of 2028. This provision has drawn significant criticism and legal challenges, with opponents arguing it requires a referendum under Section 328 (7) of the Constitution.

Regarding the Voters’ Roll and Electoral Commissions, the bill proposes to transfer the responsibility for the voters’ roll from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to the Registrar-General’s Office, a presidential appointee. It also establishes a separate delimitation commission, moving the boundary-drawing function away from ZEC.

The bill seeks to abolish the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission. While some clauses were reportedly withdrawn following public consultation, the initial proposal to scrap these bodies was a major point of contention.

The bill now faces the final hurdle of the Senate, where it must once again secure a two-thirds majority before being presented to the President for assent.